


A Razor Thin Line

by BlackUnicorn



Series: Inbetween Worlds [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV), Supernatural
Genre: Angel Castiel, British Men of Letters, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Demon Bela Talbot, Demon Charlie, Destiel - Freeform, Fluff, Getting Together, Human Castiel, Hurt/Comfort, Jack being Jack, Mary is Not Nice, Moriarty is Alive, Other, Protective Castiel, Queen of Hell, Sherlock Gets Shot, Superwholock, it's all very dramatic, johnlock maybe, maybe not, people get hurt, wibbly wobbly timey wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-13 08:46:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10510323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackUnicorn/pseuds/BlackUnicorn
Summary: Sequel to 'The Game Is On'.Old friends and enemies return and things get more mysterious by the second. What do the Men of Letters want with Sherlock? Why would they take Sam and Dean? A race against time begins for all of them, the problem is, that they don't know who they are racing against.





	1. Let’s Take A Walk Down Memory Lane

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is just a little flash - back to the point when the Doctor left Rose and the Metacrisis at the beach. It explains a bit what happened to them in the paralell universe...

_Rose felt the Metacrisis Doctor’s hand in hers as they stood at Bad Wolf Bay and watched the Tardis slowly disappear. It was like she had lost him all over again, only she hadn’t. The hand she was holding reminded her that, this time, she was not alone but it still hurt to see the Doctor leave. The real Doctor. Her Doctor._

_»Are you ok? «, Tentoo asked._

_Rose turned to look at him,_

_»Yes. «, she said. Tentoo raised an eyebrow, looking at her doubtfully. »No. «, Rose admitted. The New Doctor pulled her into a tight hug._

_»It’s going to be ok. «, he whispered._

_»What’s going to happen now? I mean to the Doctor and Donna? Are they going to be ok? «, Rose asked as she stepped back a bit. She could see a row of emotions running over Tentoo’s face. Thoughtful, realization, hurt, sadness, blank._

_»Yes. «, he finally said._

_»You’re lying. «_

_»Rose - «_

_»Tell me. «, Rose demanded. She had to know. She knew that the Doctor was going to be fine because that’s what he did, but she wasn’t so sure about Donna._

_»Rose, the Time Lord – Human – Meta – Crisis works both ways. I’m a Time Lord with human anatomy, Donna is a human with the mind of a Time Lord. No human being is supposed to have that, it would be unbearable. Do you remember when you absorbed the time vortex? This is similar. Rose, Donna cannot live with the mind of a Time Lord. «, he explained. Rose’s mind was racing, trying to understand what he had just said._

_»So…so, what? She’s going to die? «_

_»Not necessarily. She has to forget. «_

_»Forget – what exactly? «_

_»Everything. Me, you, the aliens, the planets. «_

_»What if she doesn’t? What if she remembers? «_

_»She dies. «, the New Doctor said soberly._

_Rose shuddered. She had seen so many different sides to this man now. He was dark and violent, caring and protective, excited and joyful. He scared her. Rose swallowed and took hold of the New Doctor’s hand again._

_»Let’s go home. «, she said._

 

_It took her several weeks to get used to John Noble. At least that was the name on the Doctor’s new ID. They were living with Jackie, Pete and Tony in Pete’s house in London and slowly, very slowly, Rose got used to the Metacrisis Doctor. He had mood swings and a seemingly unstable personality, sometimes he was cruel and hateful and sometimes he behaved like a five – year old but Rose grew more and more fond of him. Maybe John wasn’t the Doctor, but he certainly was her Doctor. They started to grow a new Tardis with the coral and Torchwood technology, hoping that in a few years, they would be able to travel again._

_After Doomsday, when Rose had decided to join Torchwood, she had worked hard to reform the obsolete structure of the Institute. Now, the Headquarters were right in the heart of London underneath the Tower Bridge under the lead of Rose Tyler. She liked the job and even more, she liked the people she was working with; Jake Simmonds, whom Rose had met when she had been to this universe the first time; Toshiko Sato a young woman and a genius when it came to computers, Sammy Brooks, the husband of Sarah Jane Brooks and last but not least Peter Tyler._


	2. Dreaming In Black And White

Rose Noble, nee Tyler, remembered the fateful day at the beach when she saw the Doctor. The new Doctor. It had been six years. By now, she and John were married and had a three-year-old daughter named Donna.

Rose watched the two Hunters, two Angels, one and a half Timelords and three humans standing on the first floor of 21 Williams Street in London, all staring at the shape in the shadows. The man who stood there was short but he radiated a kind of power, a kind of authority that burned bright like a fire.

»Moriarty? «, they asked, just as the two Doctors whispered, »Master? «

The man laughed and stepped forward. It was just one tiny, little step but it was enough to let the fading daylight fall onto his face. Short, dark hair, neatly combed back, piercing brown eyes and a look on his face that was colder than ice. Cas noted that this man was far from human, he was like the Doctor but still different in ways that he could not describe.

»Did you miss me? «, Moriarty/the Master asked with a cold smile.

»How? «, it was barely more than a whisper but they all heard the question John breathed into the room. The Doctors, too, looked confused but there was more. Something soft in their eyes like one would look at a very old friend, and fear. Fear of the man that stood before them and fear for them.

»You died. «, John suddenly broke the silence. »You shot yourself, how can you not be dead? «

»That is a very interesting story, John. I like stories. «

»Oh yeah? How d’you like this. «, Jack suddenly said and pointed a gun at him.

»Jack, no! «, both Doctors yelled and Jack paused.

»Seriously? You still protect him? «, Jack asked in exasperation.

Neither of the two Timelords answered but it very clear that they would indeed do that, if anyone tried to harm him.

»Okay, who is this? «, Dean then asked. He and Sam hadn’t done anything except stare at Moriarty/the Master and they both felt confused. They understood that both Sherlock and the Doctor knew this man, that there was some kind of history but that didn’t explain anything.

»I’m a spider in the center of a web. «, Moriarty/the Master answered. Only now, he looked at the Winchester brothers, »You must be Sam and Dean. Charlie told me all about you. «

»Charlie? «, Dean asked in confusion, but Sam understood. He remembered something she had said.

»You’re her employer, aren’t you? «

»He prefers the term partner. «

Charlie appeared just behind Moriarty/the Master. Her face was neutral but her eyes glowed like fire. »I told you, you would meet him soon enough. «

»Whatever. What do you want from us? «

»Your help. «, the Demon said.

»Why would we help you? «, John asked. He was shaking with anger and the only thing he could think about was how this man had destroyed Sherlock’s life. How he had killed innocent people. How he had forced Sherlock to fake his own death. And all that just for his own entertainment.

»John, John, John. «, Moriarty/the Master, shook his head. »This is so much bigger than you can believe. You _will_ help me, whether you want to or not because Sherlock will and you would do anything to protect him, wouldn’t you? «, he said and tilted his head.

»Are you threatening him? «

»Threatening him? Please, just why would I do that? It’s so boring. Besides, I thought he and I had a little something. «, he winked at Sherlock before looking back at John.

Sherlock opened his mouth to reply something. Anything. His mind was racing; he thought of all those times he had been reminded of Moriarty during the past days and he could see the pieces falling into place but before he could speak, Gabriel shouted, »Get Down! « and a split of a second later, Sherlock could hear gunshots and something else. A high-pitched sound and he could see a ray of light or laser and explosions. Someone screamed in pain or surprise and there were footsteps above their heads.

»Roof. They’re on the rood. «, someone yelled and it took Sherlock a moment, that it had been him. He crawled towards the TARDIS, saw the others doing the same. The window shattered and two dark figures climbed in. More gun shots, this time from Sam, Dean and Jack but Sherlock didn’t look. He concentrated on getting out of the room, making sure, John was with him.

Only when he had managed to get to the open door, he turned his head around. A bullet had hit one of the persons dressed in black. She, for it was obvious that it was a woman, leaned against the wall, eyes shut and her breathing was ragged as if she was in pain. A third person came through the window, helping her up and that was the moment when her mask fell down. Blonde hair, pale skin and a beautiful face. Sherlock stared at his best friend’s wife, noted the blood-soaked fabric of her trousers and the pained expression with which she pressed onto her leg.

When they were all inside and the door had shut, he heard the familiar roaring and rattling of the TARDIS. He let out a breath and turned around only to see seven pale faces, gaping at him in shock.

»Sherlock - «, John finally said. His eyes were fixed on his upper body and he looked scared. »Sherlock, you’re bleeding. «

Surprised, Sherlock looked down and saw a stain of blood spreading on his shirt and only now, that the adrenaline was fading, he felt the pain.

 

When Dean woke up he found himself bound to a chair in very familiar surroundings. He groaned, struggling against his restrains but he could hardly move a muscle. Next to him was Sam, still out cold. He, too, was tied up. Dean could see dried blood on his brother’s forehead.

»Sam. Sammy! «, he said but his brother didn’t stir.

There were steps behind him. Someone with high heels walking up to him and Dean stilled.

»Now there’s a sight I never thought I’d get. «, the woman said. She stepped in front of Dean, blonde hair, lean body and pitch – black eyes. »Hello, Dean. «

»Bela. «

* * *

»They took them. They took Dean and Sam. «

»They’ll be fine, Cas. «, Gabriel said. He wasn’t really paying attention to his brother but was rather watching Jack Harkness as he took off his shirt to put on one that didn’t have bullet holes in it. Jack was strange. He was human but his soul was something Gabriel had never seen before. Unnatural in a way that was both fascinating and repellent.

»I agree with the Angel. Those two, looked like pretty tough guys. They’ll be fine. «, Jack said. He noticed Gabriel’s eyes on him and smiled. »Now I’m gonna take a shower. Getting shot always makes me dirty. «, he added with a wink and left the room.

»I think I’ll see if he needs any help. «, Gabriel said and followed the man, leaving Cas on his own.

The other Angel closed his eyes. Here on the TARDIS it was like he was shut off from the rest of the universe, which was nice for a change but it also meant that he wouldn’t be able to hear Dean if he should reach out to him. He remembered as the window had shattered that he had seen two tranquilizer darts aimed at the Hunters. He remembered calling out to them but they couldn’t hear him. He remembered seeing Dean falling to the floor, his eyes wide in surprise. _I should have done something._ He thought. _I should have saved them._

»We’ll find them. «, a female voice behind his back said. Cas turned around and saw the blonde woman, Rose, approaching him. She smiled faintly and Cas could see the brightness of her soul. She was a good person.

»I know. «, Cas said because that was the only option he had. He had to find them.

»You look pretty wracked. Maybe you should get some rest. «

»I usually don’t require sleep. «, he answered automatically. He was reminded of Dean. How many times had he tried to convince him to sleep even if he didn’t need to? It was one of many things that proofed just how good of a person he was. He smiled at the memory.

»You are very close, aren’t you? «, Rose asked. Cas nodded. He didn’t need her to specify who she was talking about.

»We’ll find them. «, she said again. »Now, go to bed. You look exhausted. « and there was something in her voice that told Cas that arguing was useless, so instead he stood up and found his way through the labyrinth of corridors inside the TARDIS to find his bedroom.


	3. Though We Were Close To Heaven, We Ended Up In Hell

»What do you want Bela? «, Dean spat. He was angry. Very angry.

»Right now? I just want to enjoy this moment of seeing you bound to a chair, helpless. «, she grinned even wider and Dean had the feeling that he might be getting sick; throwing up on the Demon’s shoes sounded like an excellent idea. »What’s more, I want you to listen. You have no idea what you’re dealing with here, Winchester. This is so much bigger and so much _more_. Antonia allowed me to have a little alone time with you two, you know, catching up. It’s been a while since we last saw each other and I must say, you really have been busy, haven’t you? Your name is a bit of a legend downstairs. Locking up Lucifer, defeating Abaddon, you even managed to make Crowley your little bitch. Impressive. But not impressive enough I’m afraid. Still, I think you’re going to be really useful. «

»What’s that supposed to mean? «, Dean asked.

Bela sighed, »Still the slow one, then. It means that the Old Man has plans for you and your brother. You have knowledge that you are probably not even aware of. You have both died more times than any human still alive. You are the two persons that can make both Heaven and Hell shiver with fear. You are power. «

»And you are just the same cold hearted, selfish bitch that killed her own parents. «, Dean replied.

»Still it’s me that’s going to be the Queen of Hell if it wasn’t for that red headed skank. «, Beal said with a smirk on her face. Her eyes were still black like she was trying to make a point; trying to prove that she was more than him. More than human. Dean found it pathetic.

»What do you want from us, Bela? «, Dean repeated his first question.

»We want your help. «, a second voice said from behind his back. Dean tensed up, recognizing Antonia Bevell.

»Our help? «, Dean asked bewildered. He felt like he was stuck in some kind of bad comedy show.

»That’s what I said, yes. «, Antonia said and stepped in front of him. The two women looked down on him with cold, calculating expressions on their faces. »Don’t worry though, you don’t have to agree because we will just take what we need. «

Sam seemed to choose that exact moment to wake up.

»Dean. «, the younger man’s voice sounded hoarse and his eyes were still half closed when he lifted his head.

»Sam! Sam, you ok? «, Dean asked. It was a stupid question because evidently, he was not ok, but it was a habit and hard to quit.

»Fine. «, Sam lied. He felt like his head was killing his and his entire body ached. He had in fact been awake for some time already and just listened to the conversation. He couldn’t make sense of any of it and that bothered him to no end. _Why_ would they take him and Dean, two simple Hunters when there had been more valuable targets in the room? When the letter had said that they wanted Sherlock.

* * *

The Doctor had listened to Rose’s story. How she had rebuilt Torchwood. How she and John had a good life. It made him both happy and sad because she was gone for good now. She had moved on. And once again his thoughts wandered to River. The only two women he had ever truly loved and he couldn’t have either of them. Amy and Rory, his family that was now stuck in 1938 and at this point of time already dead; Donna, the most important woman of the universe, the woman who forgot everything and of course Martha, his friend and companion, the one that saved him from the Master.

The Master. The other Timelord and the Demon had gotten into the TARDIS with them when they all had fled to safety and now the two of them were sitting at the edge of the control room, looking glum. No one had talked to them yet and the Doctor didn’t exactly feel like being the first. He had parked the TARDIS in some dark alley at the edge of London and decided that it was a good time to see how Sherlock was doing. He had lost a lot of blood and as soon as he had realized that he had been shot he had lost consciousness. Both Angel said that there wasn’t much they could do, since the bullet was still in his body and they were both not at the full of their powers. The Doctor had seen Gabriel leaving together with Jack and he didn’t expect them to be back for some time, Cas was understandably upset about Sam and Dean, so it was up to John to keep his friend company.

»We need to get help. «, he said when the Doctor entered the room. »We need to go to the hospital. Molly can help us. «

No one had a better idea so the Doctor flew the TARDIS to a place near the hospital and John carried Sherlock inside.

»Oh, my god! What happened? «, Molly asked when she saw her friend.

»He was shot. Please, can you help him? «

»Of course. «

They moved quickly and without much words and soon enough Sherlock lay in a hospital bed, connected to way too many beeping machines and John by his side, holding his hand.

»He’ll be alright, John. I had to call Greg, though. He’ll be here soon. «, Molly informed him.

»Thanks, Molly. «

A few minutes later, they all stood around Sherlock’s bed, explaining to Greg what had happened.

»They were on the roof. We barely got out and Sherlock was badly hurt. They took Sam and Dean, though. «, John explained.

»Sam and Dean? «, Greg asked in confusion.

»Yeah the – er – the FBI agents. «

»They’re not real FBI are they? «

»No. «

Greg nodded like that was something he should have expected and maybe it was. They all looked at Sherlock who had his eyes closed and John tried to think of something the man could have said now.

»We need to focus. «, he said eventually. »If we want to find Sam and Dean, we need to focus. «, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out Mary’ letter. »This is from Mary. Maybe it helps «. Greg read the letter and looked up, his brows furrowed and pity in his eyes.

»I’m so sorry, John. «, he said but John shrugged. Being sorry didn’t help them.

»I’m going to stay with Sherlock, make sure he’s save. Greg, outside by the dumpsters, you’ll find a blue police box. Go in there and tell the others to go and find Sam and Dean. «

»A – a blue police box? «

»Yes. «

»Okay. «, Greg blinked a few times like he needed to clear his mind before leaving the room. Moly had left as well, so that it was just John and Sherlock again.

»You fucking bastard. «, John muttered. He wanted to mean it. He wanted to be angry, wanted to scream and fight but he couldn’t. His voice was soft and there was nothing but affection in his eyes. »Don’t you dare die again, Sherlock. Don’t you dare. I buried you once, I’m not going to do it a second time. «, John was well aware that Sherlock probably couldn’t even hear him but he spoke anyway. He felt like he would explode if he didn’t. »I loved you, you know. Before – before you jumped of that roof. I came back from Afghanistan and all I had was a psychosomatic limp, a tremor in my hand and a lifetime of issues and then there was you. You were exciting and rude and you showed me that there was more. So much more. I loved every single second we spent together and I felt like I belonged. I was save. I know that makes no sense since we were in constant danger but you made me feel save. So, when I thought you had died it was like losing myself. I had no idea who I was without you and your obnoxious behaviour. Mary helped me. She really did but – I don’t even know if I can trust her anymore. It’s all lies. Over and over again and I am so tired. I do love her, I think. At least I used to. I tried to hate you when you came back because the alternative seemed worse. The alternative would have been to pick up where we left of and I wasn’t sure if I could do that. Not with Mary next to me. I really tried to hate you but I couldn’t. I can’t and it’s all your bloody fault for being so…you. «. John sighed. He felt tears in his eyes and blinked quickly to make them go away. He refused to cry now. Sherlock would be fine and they would go back to being friends and solve crimes together. Without another look at Sherlock, John left the room to get some coffee and didn’t see that his friend was awake, a single tear running down his face.


	4. Starmen

Greg and Molly went out on the street, looking the mysterious ‘blue police box’, John had mentioned. They found it eventually but instead of going nearer, they both stopped and gaped at it. It seemed alien. Like it didn’t belong here. Like it came from another world.

»How the hell are the others supposed to be in there? «, Greg asked. Molly shrugged. She found the whole thing slightly terrifying and she was still in shock of seeing Sherlock half dead with a whole in his chest. Taking a deep, last breath, Molly approached the blue box and heard Greg following shortly after. When she opened the door, she let out a gasp. The inside of the box was huge. It looked like a big bubble of stone and silver and in the middle, was some kind of console. Molly could see sofas a table at the other end of the room and there were doors all around the walls leading god knows where.

»Hello? «, she asked timidly.

»Hello! I don’t know you, who are you! «, a tall, skinny man with brown, messy hair and a long coat ran towards them. He held some sort of buzzing tool in his hand which was pointed at them.

»I – I - «, Molly stuttered. She was too caught up with the appearance of the man who looked like a mixture of a five year old and a psychopath.

»I’m Greg Lestrade, this is Molly Hooper. John sent us. «, Greg answered. Molly gave him a grateful smile before going back to staring at the strange man.

»I’m the Doctor. Well, I was. I mean I still am, sort of, long story. Call me John. «, the man rambled and smiled widely.

»John, what’s going on? «, Rose asked. She saw the two strangers standing in front of the Doctor Metacrisis and frowned.

»We’re friends of John and Sherlock. John says that he wants to stay at the hospital and we should help you find Sam and Dean. «, Molly said. She was glad that she had regained her ability to speak properly, the blonde woman seemed kind and her smile was sincere.

»Well that’s good, right? I’ll get the others. «, Rose announced and went through one of the doors.

»What is this place? «, Greg asked.

»It’s called a TARDIS. It’s a spaceship – ish. I can go anywhere in time and space. Wizard. «, John explained with a grin. Now that Molly had gotten used to him, he didn’t seem so scary anymore.

»Now that is a surprise. «, said a very familiar voice from across the room.

Molly froze. »Jim? «, she asked. She could see him. He looked just as she remembered him but that wasn’t possible. Jim Moriarty was dead.

»That’s me. Really sorry I never showed up to that date. I can make up to you, some time. «, Jim answered. He had a wicked smile on his face but his eyes were cold. Greg pulled out his gun and pointed it at Moriarty/the Master, »One step more and I swear I’ll pull the trigger. «, he said threatening. John groaned in frustration when he saw the gun, »Hey, no one pulls any triggers in my TARDIS! «, he said and pointed a finger at Greg. In that moment, Rose came back, closely followed by the Doctor, Cas, Jack and Gabriel.

»Oh, why do you people always have to carry weapons. «, the Doctor muttered.

The supposedly dead man smiled innocently and shrugged and Greg was forced to lower his gun. Behind Moriarty/the Master was Charlie who looked highly bored.

»Now, you two: behave. «, John said to the two and then looked back at his friends. »What we need, is a clue. Where could they be? And moreover, who took them? «

»The Men of Letters. «, Cas said quietly. His eyes seemed unfocused and he was pale but his voice was steady and confident. He had tried for the last hours to get something, anything on Dean, without success but he was certain that Antonia Bevell was behind it all. Mark on the letter, the photo of the crime scene. It all fit.

»The Men of Letters? «, Greg asked doubtfully.

»It’s a secret organization, studying the Supernatural. Their origin was in America and now the only ones left are here, in England. However, I don’t quite understand how it is all connected. «

»But I’m sure he does. «, Jack said spitefully. His eyes were fixed on Jim who feinted surprise. »Me? Why would I know something? «

»Because you wanted our help. What do you know? «

To everyone’s surprise it was Charlie that answered, »It’s the Old Man. He has this plan and he has Antonia to help him. And Bela. He promised Bela 'Hell on earth', that’s why she helps him. And Antonia, well, I’m not sure what she gets out of it but it must be good since she’s the one slaughtering my Demons. «

»How do you know all that? «, Gabriel asked.

»I told her. «, Jim said. »And I’ve got my sources. Because in the end, everything has a price. «

»The Old Man. I keep hearing that name but what does it mean. Who is it? «

»He’s the leader of the Men of Letters. The sponsor. But we don’t know who it is. No one does. «

»Okay. And what does he want? «

»What everyone always wants. «, Charlie said coolly. »Power. «

* * *

The last thing, Dean remembered was that he was hit by a tranquilizer dart once again. When he woke up, he was no longer bound to a chair. He and Sam and lying on the floor in the dark and the only thing they could hear was the steady buzzing of a machine or engine. Dean lifted himself up and groaned when he felt his sore muscles protest against the movement. Sam had stood up as well and they looked at each other, as they always did when they communicated without words. A look, a sharp nod and they both knew what to do. Dean took one step forward but he was immediately thrown back. Something blue – ish was glowing in front of him, like a wall. It flickered and then it was gone. »What the hell? «, he breathed. Carefully, he stretched out his hand and felt some sort of resistance. »What is this? «, he asked. It was a question directed at himself and he actually winced a bit when a throaty voice from behind his back answered. »It’s called a force field. You won’t be able to cross it so don’t waste your energy on trying. « Dean turned around and watched with horror as _something_ made its way towards him. It had the shape of a man from the waist upwards but underneath that was a metal like chariot with cables and tubes, connecting it to the head of the man. His skin was pale and looked hundreds of years old; where his eyes should have been, he saw nothing but black and on his forehead, was a glowing, blue eye. »I am pleased to see that you and your brother have finally found your way to me. «

»Who the hell are you? «

»I am Davros. Or as you may now me, the Old Man. «

* * *

»Okay, well, any idea where they might be? «, Greg asked. He was confused by all the talking about Supernatural and the fact that he was supposed to be on a spaceship right now but he also didn’t question any of it. That would just cause more of a headache.

»The headquarters of the Men of Letters. «, Cas answered.  

A few moment later, the TARDIS was parked behind a line of trees just opposite the building where Antonia Bevell and here people were hiding. It looked simple and unsuspicious and nobody would have guessed what was inside it.

»You’re sure they are in there? «, Molly asked while they were all looking at the screen.

»No. They are above it. «, the Doctor said and pressed a few buttons on the console. The air just above the rood began to shimmer and flicker and soon enough a giant, black insect like thing appeared in mid – air.

»What the hell is that? «

»It’s a spaceship. «, Moriarty/the Master answered. He sounded bored but his eyes betrayed him, there was an excited sparkle, a tension that was just strong enough to be seen.

»How come we didn’t see it at first? «, Molly asked.

»Perception filter. «, the Doctor answered. »Hides things from plain sight. «

»How are we gonna get in there? «

»The door. «, Cas said and already made his way towards the exit.

»Whoa, wait! «, John said and blocked the Angel’s way. »You just want to walk in there? «

»Dean is in there and he needs me. I’m not going to let anything happen to him. «, answered Cas, while he was trying to get past the Doctor. It was Gabriel who lay a hand on his shoulder, holding him back, »Okay, easy there, tiger. We all know you want to save your man and as much as I find that really adorable, I also want to see you alive a little bit longer, so what we need is a plan. «, the Archangel said. His grip was tight and strong and his eyes were serious. He would not let his brother walk in there on his own. He would not watch Castiel commit suicide just to save Dean.

* * *

Sam and Dean were still in their force field prisons, listening to Davros. He had told them how he had invented the Daleks, how they had turned on him, how he was dying.

»For a long time, I put my faith into my children but now I see that I was wrong. « he explained. »The Daleks are a failure. I will create something new. A new race of humans. Pure and strong. Obedient and merciless. Emotionless. I will have a new body and then I will turn every single one of those pathetic, weak creatures on this planet into my followers, starting with you. «

Dean was actually speechless. This guy was insane. Completely off the rails. But the worst part was that Dean believed him. He believed that this man could turn a perfectly ordinary human being into a machine and that, above all, scared him the most. This wasn’t some werewolf or vampire that just wanted his blood. This wasn’t a Demon or an Angel. He knew how to fight those. No this was a mad man, with nothing left to lose. A man who had spent a very long time, creating this plan. Suddenly, he remembered something Cas had told him.

_»When Antonia had captured you and I got you out of there, there were these men. We fought and I didn’t realize it at first but now I remember what was wrong with them. They were no men. I don’t even think they were human. «_

»The Men of Letters. «, Dean said. »They’re working for you, aren’t they? And Bela. What did you promise them? «, he mostly just asked to keep Davros talking. To buy a little more time.

»Haven’t you figured it out by now? Hell, is a dreary place for eternity. I can give them so much more. I can give them everything. «

»And Antonia? «

»Antonia is too smart to say no to her dad. «

* * *

»Charlie, Jim, Greg, John and Rose, you are the distraction. Molly and the Doctor stay here in the TARDIS, while Gabe, Cas and I go in to take down the wards. When the path is free, you come in too and we find a way into that spaceship. «, Jack said. The plan was simple enough. Maybe too simple.

They broke down the front door, hoping that the noise would attract all the people in the building. To their surprise, no one came. Carefully, they went down a long corridor, listening. At the end, there was a heavy, wooden door, leading to a library.

»I was wondering when you would come. «

Antonia Bevell sat at the table, half hidden by shadows. She held a gun in her hand but made no attempts to point it t them.

»Where are they? «, Rose asked.

»Not here. «

»I don’t believe you. «, Rose stepped forward, not once breaking eye contact with the woman in front of her. »You are the one that took them. You are the one that keeps them. Where. Are. They? «

»Rose. «, John’s voice was low, barely a whisper but she heard it anyway. Rose took a deep breath to calm herself. She was angry. Angry because this woman was helping to destroy everything. She might have found a new home in the parallel universe but this was still her earth and she was going to protect it.

»I don’t know what you thought to achieve by coming here but this has taken long enough. «, Antonia said. Slowly, she stood up from the table and picked up her gun. »Take them. «, she commanded and Rose realized that they were surrounded by four men, all holding guns. With one last look towards the others, they charged in. Charlie had a sword which she wielded like it was a part of her body. Rose watched in awe, as the Demon turned around and attacked the man behind her. She would have killed him, Rose was sure of that, if he hadn’t dropped to the floor. Greg was shooting his gun at one of the others but it was obvious that he was scared, still her concern wasn’t with the cop. Not really. It was with John. Because John was still the Doctor and he didn’t use weapons. He used his mind to fight but this was a situation where you couldn’t outsmart the enemy, it was too late for that. From the corner of her eye, Rose saw Antonia leaving the room through a hidden door between the bookshelves but she couldn’t get through to her. One of the man blocked her way and pushed her straight across the room. With a gasp, she landed on her back and it was in that moment that she realized these men weren’t men at all. They were too strong, too fast. John, too had come to that realization and he pulled out his screwdriver and scanned one of them, while trying to dodge the bullets.

»Robots! They’re robots! «, he yelled and looked around for some sort of computer or transmitter. He saw the Moriarty/the Master running across the room towards a door and because he had no better idea, he followed him.

»Aha! «, John called out when he saw the several monitors in the room. »We can create a disturb signal, amplify it and transmit it through the sound system, if we just find the right frequency - «. John had set to work as soon as he had seen the computers and was now distracted by Jim who cleared his throat notably. »What? «, he asked and looked up. Moriarty/the Master was pointing at one of the screens. »Or we could just…hack into the computer system which keeps them running. «, he concluded. It was easy and they both saw at once that Antonia Bevell was no expert when it came to robot technology, but there was something that wasn’t quite right. Something crucial –

A pained scream from Rose broke his train of thoughts. Back in the library, he saw that they had managed to stop the robots, but apparently, one of them had still managed to give a fatal shot. Rose was lying on the floor, her hands clutching her stomach and John could see blood the spilling from under them. »No, no, no, no, no! «, he muttered frantically as he rushed through the room. Charlie was kneeling next to her, trying to help Rose stop the bleeding, while Greg looked shocked.

»I’m okay. «, Rose said. »Don’t worry about it. «

»Shut up. «, John replied. He saw at once that the wound wasn’t fatal and she would in fact be fine but the sight still scared him.

»Everything ok? We heard gunshots. «, Jack, Cas and Gabriel stood in the door and when Jack saw Rose, lying on the floor, he paled visibly.

»Rose was shot but she’ll be fine. Antonia went that way. «, John said, pointing at the hidden doorway behind the bookshelf which was still half open. Jack and Gabriel pushed it aside and revealed a giant apparatus.

»What the hell is that thing? «, Greg whispered.

»That thing is a teleporter probably brings us right to the spaceship above. «

»Right, John, you better bring Rose to the TARDIS. The wards and security systems are down so the Doctor shouldn’t have a problem coming in. And we go upstairs. «


	5. They Say Angels Don’t Kill

Dean was very seldom scared. If you grow up to be a Hunter and fight against monsters before puberty, fear is one of the first things you lose. Now, being bound to some sort of examination table, staring pointedly at the ceiling because the alternative would be to stare at the medical tools surrounding him, he wasn’t just scared. He was terrified. Sam was still stuck in his prison somewhere behind door he had been dragged through and Dean hoped that he would be rescued before anything worse could happen. He couldn’t even move because Davros had paralyzed him with some injection but if he could, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to break the metal chains around his wrists and ankles.

»What the hell are you going to do? «, he asked, trying to sound confident and angry; he wasn’t so sure if he succeeded.

»Don’t worry Dean, you’re not going to feel a thing. «, that was Antonia talking to him in a calming voice. She was dressed in a white coat like a doctor and half her face was covert by a mask.

»Why me? Why Sam? You said in your letter that you wanted Sherlock. «, he wasn’t sure why he said it, probably just to keep her talking but it definitely had its effect.

»How do you know about the letter? «, she asked but then thought better of it. »Doesn’t matter. Sherlock will be next. «

»Yeah, but why? «

»Because my father needs a new body. His own is dying and the Holmes children have that little special something that makes them perfect candidates. You on the other hand, are a good soldier, Dean. Or you would be. I’m going to make you perfect. Do you know what a good soldier does? «, she asked and answered herself right away. »He follows orders without questioning them. I will help you with that and then you will be obedient to my father, do whatever he tells you to. «

»How can that thing even be your father? «

»He’s not my biological dad, mind you. They died when I was very young, torn apart by a Werewolf on the full moon. Davros saved me. He showed me that there is more to life than just living. He showed me what power is. «, the way she said it, the way her voice softened made Dean sick to his stomach. That creature, that shadow of a man was a full-on psychopath and Antonia spoke of him as if he was some kind of saint. »But enough small talk. «. 

* * *

Jack, Cas and Gabriel stood in the teleporter on the spaceship, listening; the others had stayed behind as a backup plan.

»What now? «, Gabriel asked. He felt weird. Thousands, millions of years and he had never, not once, been on a spaceship.

»We find your friends. «, Jack simply said. Everything seemed to be quiet. Too quiet. They moved quickly and carefully but they couldn’t see anything. The inside of the ship was cold and dark. They could hear the low humming of the air-conditioner, occasional rattling in the vents, but apart from that there was nothing. There was a door up ahead and when they passed through it, Cas changed his mind about the ‘nothing’, right there, in the middle of the room was Sam. He was standing his back turned to them but there was no doubt that it was him.

»Sam! «, Cas called and stepped forward. In retro perspective, that was probably the first mistake. As soon as Cas had moved, the doors all around the walls opened and men in uniforms, carrying guns stepped inside. Sam turned around, his eyes wide in surprise and shock. He starred at his friends, feeling both relieved and an anxious to see them. Ever since Dean had been taken, he had stared at the door he had passed through, listening to the sounds of machines and an occasional groan from his brother. He had no idea what Antonia did to him but he knew that he had to stop her, the problem was that it seemed impossible for him to leave his prison. A choked scream sounded from the other room and Sam spun around again.

»Dean. «, that was Cas. Without thinking twice, the Angel charged in, wielding his blade while the soldiers tried to keep him from crossing the room. Gabriel and Jack needed a moment to realise what was happening; they just stood there and watched as Cas cut and slashed his way through his enemy to get to the door.

»Cas, watch out! «, Sam shouted. He saw one of the men, aiming his gun directly at Cas’ head, watching as he pulled the trigger. Time seemed to slow down as the bullet left the gun, flying through the air towards Cas. The Angel spun around, his eyes wide in realisation and he knew there wasn’t enough time to dodge, that he was probably going to die here and –

»Jack! «, Captain Jack Harkness had jumped forward as soon as he had realised what was about to happen, he hardly felt the bullet drilling its way into his body while he was still in mid – air. However, he did feel the impact when he hit the floor. »I’m fine, I’m fine. «, he muttered. He was lying to Sam’s feet who was trying frantically to get through to him but of course the forcefield prevented that. »I’m just going to die now. «. Jack was getting a bit tired of it but, he thought, being shot was still preferable than slowly suffocating or drowning, he’d been there.

* * *

Dean watched as Antonia slowly lowered the drill again. She had stopped when she had heard the shooting just in front of the door, but she didn’t seem too concerned. The doors were probably designed to keep out anyone and everything that wasn’t supposed to get in.

»Aaargh! «, having a drill in your head was pain beyond measurement and Dean tried his best to just pass out but for some reason he couldn’t. All he could do was stare at the ceiling, listen to the sound of the machine and _feel_. _Or maybe I should just die_ , he thought. He was sure Death would be happy to finally have him. Hell, Dean would be happy to finally be had by –

A loud bang drowned everything around him. Antonia screamed and let go of the drill which fell to the ground. Dean was facing the door and although he couldn’t move he had a perfect view as Cas blew open the door, his eyes glowing bright blue and in his hand his Angel blade, covered on blood.

»Step away from him. «, he said and Dean actually shuddered. This wasn’t Cas, the baby in a trench coat with too much of a heart and an inability to use air quotes. This was Castiel, the Angel of the Lord how Dean had first seen him all those years ago in the barn. Antonia did in fact step away while Castiel stepped forward. He had slain every last soldier that had stepped in his way. His clothes were drenched in blood and he could feel the grace inside him pulsating, giving him power. He had his eyes fixed on the woman, burning cold and merciless and all he wanted to do was punish her for hurting Dean.

»You won’t stop him. You can’t «, she said hastily. Cas could sense her fear and he almost took pity, but only almost.

»I can and I will and you will leave this human alone, now. «

»No. «, she said and picked up the drill again. For the split of a second, Cas thought she would attack him but then she turned back to Dean. He didn’t even know how it happened. Dean screamed in pain as the drill drove into his head once again and there was another scream coming from Antonia as Cas sank his blade into her back. She fell to the ground, motionless and Cas felt at once how the power drained from him. It took him everything not to pass out then and there but the sight of Dean, barely alive, bound to a table was enough to keep him going. With shaking hands, he loosened the chains and picked the Hunter up from the table. His body was cold and pale.

»No, no, Dean, you have to stay awake. You have to stay with me. «, he whispered and caressed Dean’s face. The Hunter’s eyes fluttered open just enough so Cas could catch a glance of their incredible green.

»Cas. «, Dean whispered.

»Dean. «, Cas answered. Dean closed his eyes again and in that moment, Cas knew Dean was about to die. The injury was too much and Cas was too weak to heal him. _I can’t let that happen,_ he thought, _we didn’t get this far just so Dean could die now._ From afar he could hear footsteps nearing but he didn’t look up. It didn’t matter who was coming; whether it was a friend or an enemy. What mattered was Dean, lying in his arms, blood dripping from his head and he made a decision. There was still one thing he could do. One thing to save Dean, the man he loved. Without thinking about it, he pressed his lips against the Hunter’s, collecting the last bit of power he had left to bridge the gap between his and Dean’s mind; opening the gates and giving himself over and for one eternal second, he could feel everything, Dean had ever felt, could see everything, Dean had ever seen, thought everything, Dean had ever thought. All at once.

He could see Dean as a child, protecting kid Sammy from a sprit, crouched inside a circle of salt, scared and angry at once.

He could saw Dean as a teenager, flirting with girls, being proud and arrogant.

He could see Dean, almost breaking when Sam told him he would go to Stanford.

Dean, alone with his father, hunting a Nest of Vampires.

He could see himself, entering the barn when they had met for the first time on earth.

Every little moment, every memory Dean had of him.

The more, Cas took, the more he gave. He could feel his grace fading, passing into Dean. He could feel how he became more and more human the longer he took away the Hunter’s pain.


	6. Tell Everyone, Everything Is Fine

When the door of the TARDIS had opened and a devastated looking John Noble had entered, carrying his wife, the Doctor and Molly had been shocked. As it had turned out, the injury wasn’t as serious as it had looked and Molly had patched her up very quickly, but still. The fear of losing Rose had shaken both John and the Doctor. After her short display of concern and empathy, Charlie had gone back to being mostly indifferent and Moriarty/the Master had stayed quiet during the whole affair, although he did watch close, as Molly tried to help Rose. It had almost seemed like he was a bit uncomfortable around his ex – girlfriend. 

»Jack, Cas and Gabriel are looking for Sam and Dean «, John said, when Rose had gone to sleep. »The shields are down so we should be able to get in there too. «, while he spoke, he already started the TARDIS. He was surprised when Molly helped him.

She shrugged, »We had some time to kill so the Doctor showed me a few things. «, she explained. John saw the Doctor in the background, grinning widely. When the TARDIS landed inside of the spaceship and the door opened, they could already hear the fighting.

»Jack! «, that was Sam yelling a warning and without a second thought they all rushed out to see what was happening. The room was a battlefield. Jack lay on the floor, eyes closed and probably dead. Gabriel stared at his body with a mixture of sadness, anger and fascination while Sam was almost hysteric. He was being held by a forcefield which worked both ways so at least he wasn’t in danger of being shot. But the person they all stared at was Cas. Cas who stormed through the line of enemies like a tornado, leaving a trail of dead bodies. Cas whose eyes were burning like ice, his true Angel form shining through. He broke through the door at the other side of the room and they heard a high-pitched scream. The Doctor came out of his numbness and tried to deactivate the forcefield.

»He’s escaping, Doctor. «, Jim said, looking through a little window.

»Who is? «

»Davros. «

He couldn’t stop to think why Davros would be there. _How_ he could be there. As far as he knew, Davros had died when the Timelord – Metacrisis had blown up the Dalek – fleet. Apparently, he had been wrong. He went back to scanning the room for the source of the field and was surprised when Molly was the one to find it. He really liked that girl. Deactivating the field was a quick act and soon enough, Sam was free. The younger Winchester tried to hurry towards the door through which Cas had gone but Gabriel stopped him, »Wait there, kiddo. You’re hurt. «, the Angel was concerned for Sam and he felt sorry. Gabriel had always had a soft spot for Sam and seeing him like this was horrible.

»I’m fine. «, Sam said, obviously lying. He had a wound at his fore head and dried blood in his face but mostly he was dying to see his brother. To make sure he was safe.

When they entered the room, Sam whimpered. He saw Cas sitting on the floor, his arms wrapped tightly around Dean. His brother looked like he was more dead than alive, a gaping hole in his head, eyes closed.

»Dean. «, Sam whispered and wanted to step forward but Gabriel held him back once again.

»Wait. «, he whispered, his eyes fixed on Cas. His brother lowered his head, very slowly, very carefully, until his lips meat Dean’s. Gabriel wasn’t entirely sure what Cas was doing but he had a pretty good idea. It was the last resort to save the Winchester from dying and Gabriel had no doubt whatsoever that Cas was willing to pay the price for it. He could see Cas’ light fading. His grace pouring out of him, giving life to the Hunter in his arms. It was both beautiful and sad. He got hold of Sam’s hand and showed him what he saw. He felt Sam’ confusion and fear but he also relaxed slightly at Gabriel’s touch and the picture he saw. It was obvious that Cas was helping Dean. Saving him.

»What is happening? «, Molly asked quietly.

»He’s saving Dean. Giving him his grace so he can heal. «, the Doctor explained. Gabriel had totally forgotten, that the Doctor was able to see the things for what they really were.

»Is he going to die? «

»Cas? Maybe. It’s dangerous but if he’ll survive he’ll be human. «, Gabriel answered. For some reason, though, he wasn’t worried about Castiel. His brother was strong. Much stronger than he could ever be and he had been human before. If anyone could do it, it would be Cas. He half expected a sharp comment from Charlie or Jim but they both just stared at the two men, seemingly lost for words.

Gabriel stepped forward, lying a hand on Cas’ shoulder, »That’s enough, brother. «, he said quietly and Cas pulled away. His grace was gone except for a tiny little part. It would be enough to keep him alive for now. Dean had long since passed out and Cas was about to join him every second so they had to carry them both into the TARDIS but that was okay. They were both going to be okay.


	7. What Makes Us Human

When John received the call from Greg, that Sam and Dean were free and okay – ish, he let out a breath of release. After pouring his heart out to Sherlock he had gone out to get a coffee, and then another one and another and another . They were excuses not to go back into the room. John felt ashamed. He had told his best friend that he had used to be in love with him, whether Sherlock had actually been awake to hear it or not made little difference. That wasn’t something you were supposed to say to your best friend. But he was out of excuses. John took a deep breath and opened the door to Sherlock’s room only to find him wide awake and, as it seemed, bored.

»There you are. I was starting to wonder if you had planned to avoid me for the rest of the day. «

»Avoid you? «, John asked. His hands began to sweat and he was nervous.

»I know you’ve been drinking one coffee after another just so you didn’t have to come back in here. Something’s changed, so I guess there are news. «

»There are. «, John said eagerly. He was glad for the change of subject. »Greg called, they found Sam and Dean. They’re not exactly fine but they will be. «

Sherlock nodded as a sign of acknowledgement but his eyes stayed focused on John, which made him feel a bit uneasy. »Sherlock, I - «, he started and realised then that he had no idea what to say. However, the moment broke when the door opened and a nurse came inside, »Mister Holmes, you have a visitor. «, she announced and made way for the blonde woman.

»Mary? «, John asked incuriously.

»Hello John. I’m so sorry, I swear if I had known what had happened – Are you okay, Sherlock? «, she asked. Sherlock didn’t answer, just looked at her with hard eyes and it was hard to say what he was feeling.

»Lies. «, John muttered.

»Sorry? «

»Lies. «, he repeated, this time louder. »It’s all lies. «

»What is? John, what are you talking about? «

»You! Mary, I’m talking about you. I read the letter. The one that Antonia Bevell gave to you? I know that she asked you to come back to whatever it is you did. I saw you at that house! You are the one that shot Sherlock. Again! Just how stupid do you think I am? «, he was getting angry. No, that wasn’t right. He was getting furious.

»John. John, please calm down and listen - «

»I am _done_ listening, Mary! «

»I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, please - «

»No. Nope. Not happening. It’s over, Mary. This was one time too many. Working for some secret assassination team, I can deal with. Shooting Sherlock once out of self-preservation, fine. Everyone makes mistakes. But shooting him a second time and helping to kidnap and torture two innocent people? That’s too much. «

»They were far from innocent. «

»I really don’t care, Mary. They are nice and loyal. Unlike you. «, he spat and he could see Mary wince a bit when he said it.

»So, what? That’s it? «

»That’s it. «, John confirmed.

»What about the baby? «

»Was there ever really a baby to begin with? «, John asked wearily. He knew that he was being cruel but he didn’t really care anymore; he was tired and angry and all he wanted was for the day to be over.

»How can you say that? «

»Do you really need to ask? «, John asked and instead of an answer he received a cold look from his wife before she turned around and left.

»I’m not an expert but I’m very sure that that was considered rude. «, Sherlock noted after the door had shut. John turned towards him and saw the shadow of a smile on Sherlock’s face.

»Please tell me you’re not going to tell me to go after her. «

»I would never do that. I would, however, ask you what that was about. «

»What do you mean? «

Sherlock took a moment before he answered, »You always claimed to love her and I always believed you. What changed? «

»I don’t know what you’re talking about. «, John said and tried to avoid eye contact with Sherlock.

»You really need to check if someone is asleep next time you make a great confession. «, Sherlock simply said and it sounded so nonchalant like he was talking about the weather that John nearly missed the content of the sentence. The meaning of those words. But only nearly. »You don’t need to say anything about it, I just wanted to let you know that I was very much awake and I heard what you said. I missed you, John. I’ve never missed anybody. I didn’t even know I could. You make me human, John. I’m starting to think that that is a good thing. «, Sherlock said. And those words, coming from Sherlock were more than John had ever thought possible. Without thinking about it, he grabbed the other man’s hand and held it. Sherlock didn’t look surprised at all. He simply smiled and held onto John like a lifeline and maybe that’s what it was. A rescue boat for the both of them.

* * *

Dean opened his eyes. He felt strange. There was a sort of pressure onto his head and his whole body ached and the memories of what had happened where crushing in on him like wakes and he was about to drown. With a gasp, he sat up and immediately regretted because his head felt like splitting in two, but at least that kept him from thinking.

»Hello, Dean. «, Cas was sitting next to him. He looked pale and worn out but apart from that he seemed fine. »How do you feel? «

»Head’s killing me. «, he muttered roughly.

»That was to be expected. But at least you are alive. «

»Yeah, about that. How? «, Dean asked. He remembered having a drill in his head and Cas coming into the room like a fucking wrecking ball but after that things were a bit blurry. Cas swallowed visibly and it seemed like he was nervous, which was odd.

»I – er – you would have died. I couldn’t let that happen, Dean. I just couldn’t. «, Cas started to explain.

»What did you do? «

»I gave you my grace. «

»Come again? «

»I gave you my grace, Dean. I made myself human so you could heal. «. Dean blinked. He hadn’t seen that coming and he honestly didn’t know what to say. »And I’m not going to apologize for saving your life Dean. It was my decision and I made it a long time ago, I think. You mean too much to me to lose you and if you decide to be angry with me now, that is fine. I can’t stop you from feeling whatever it is you are feeling but it is only fair to be honest about myself. I made many mistakes and as a human I might have a second chance. I might be able to do things better and I want to be able to do that by your side. I want to be with you, Dean Winchester, no matter what. I love you. «, and with that Cas stood up and started leaving the room.

»Wait. «. Dean said hastily. _There we go,_ he thought, _let‘s lose that last bit of masculinity I’ve got left._ But it didn’t really matter because the cards where pretty much on the table anyway, weren’t they? »Wait. «, he repeated. »I’m not mad at you. I just don’t understand why. «, he took a deep breath. »Remember when you pulled me out of hell and you said that I didn’t think I deserved to be saved? You were right. I don’t think that. But apparently, you do, so…I guess I’ll just stick with that. Cas, I – What you did…I mean…you’re going to die. «

»We all are, Dean. Sooner or later, we all are. «, he replied quetly.

»Yeah but, with us, with what we do, it’ll be probably sooner than later. «

»I am content with the now if you are. «

»I am. «, Dean said. »I don’t want you to leave. «. It felt like he only just realized the full extent of his own feelings but it didn’t scare him. Not really. He knew that Cas felt the same and it was okay.

»I’m not going to. «, Cas said sincerely and as if he wanted to prove his point he held Deans hand, tight and warm and Dean relaxed into the touch.

»Thank you, Cas. «, he said. He wasn’t sure what he was thankful for but it didn’t matter because Cas seemed to know. The former Angel pressed a gentle kiss onto his forehead.

»You should sleep a bit more. «, Cas whispered.

»Do I get a real kiss first? «, Dean asked with a cheeky smile. He saw Cas rolling his eyes but he obliged. It was a tender kiss, full of emotions and hope for Dean. It felt like home. He craved more and he never wanted to stop. With a pleasant hum, he opened his mouth, pushing his tongue into Cas’ mouth, while burying his hands in the black mob of hair. Cas let out a soft moan which Dean swallowed eagerly.

Someone cleared their throat and Cas pulled away. Sam was standing in the door and Dean knew he should feel ashamed or awkward or _something_ but he didn’t. He saw in his brother’s face that this was old news and it probably was.

»I’m glad you’re okay. «, Sam said with a happy smile.

»I’m getting there. Don’t know what that fucking bitch did to me, though. «

»The Doctor explained it to me a bit. Davros created this race of killer machines called the Daleks. The only emotion they know is hate against anything that isn’t like them so they sort of turned on him since he is human – ish. Davros now tried to produce a new race. A race that is obedient only to him, by extracting all emotions whatsoever and sort of implanting a chip into your brain that creates a telepathic link to him and the fellow soldiers. Don’t worry, though, your emotions are still intact. Cas could stop her before she could do any real damage. «, Sam explained.

»Felt real enough to me. «

»Yeah, well. You got lucky. I saw how the end of that process looked like and I swear I’ve never seen anything like it. Demons got more feelings than that. «. Sam shuddered at the memory of those soldiers. It seemed like they didn’t care at all whether they lived or died. Like they were already dead.

»Okay lucky me, then. But what about Sherlock? What did they want him for? «, Dean asked. It didn’t really made sense.

»Remember how Cas and Gabe told us that he has ‘the soul of a child’? Well it turns out; his mother is incapable of getting children but some Angel heard her prayers and took pity on her. He blessed her with three children. The thing is they weren’t natural. Supernatural children are different from others, their minds are broader, their souls purer. Sherlock, Mycroft and their sister, Eugene, are something that was never supposed to exist in the first place. They explained it all to Sherlock and he didn’t really seem to care, so I guess there’s that. It’s not like it’s dangerous or anything and for them nothing is going to change. «

Dean nodded. He still didn’t fully understand it but he also wouldn’t ask. He was still a bit tired and all this talking was causing a huge headache.

»Anyway. Cas is right. You should rest some more. I’ll be in the control room if you need me. «, and with that his brother left the room and Dean noticed how hard it was to even keep his eyes open.

»Sleep, Dean. «, Cas whispered into his ear.

»Stay with me? «, Dean asked.

»Always. «

The former Angel of the Lord snuggled against Dean, his head on the Hunter’s chest and it didn’t take long for them both to fall asleep.

* * *

As the Doctor, John and Rose had promised, dying wasn’t exactly a big deal when it came to Captain Jack Harkness. By now he was on his feet again and shamelessly flirting with Gabriel. Sam shook his head when he saw the two men sitting way too close on one of the sofas in the TARDIS. He decided that it would probably be best if he just left them be and instead turned to Charlie who was standing in the shadows all on her own.

»Winchester. «, she greeted him.

»Charlie. «, he said and there was something in her eyes that might have been surprise. Sam still felt uncomfortable around the Demon and he was already thinking about doing something to save her. To save Charlie.

»Don’t even think about it. «, the Queen of Hell said. »And don’t look so shocked. I know you Sam Winchester. I’m not just some Demon possessing this body, I _am_ Charlie Bradbury. I knew what I was getting into when I said yes to Crowley and I mostly did it to help you and Dean. I’m still me. Just different. «, she shrugged and all of a sudden all Sam could see was that young woman who was nervous about flirting to a man and who didn’t know how to shoot a gun and who was obsessing about LARP. She was different to the Demon she had seemed to be until now.

»I still don’t like it. «

»That’s because you feel guilty. Don’t. It wasn’t your fault. Sometimes people just get unlucky and they die. «

»But I could have - «

»Saved my life and lost Dean’s. «, Charlie ended his sentence and there really wasn’t much else to say. She was right. Sam knew that she was. But that didn’t ease the pain. It didn’t take away the guilt and it certainly didn’t make it any better that one of his best friends was now the bloody Queen of Hell.

»John told me that you tried to save Rose’s life. «, he suddenly said. »So, I guess you’re not all bad. «

»We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are. «, Charlie said and Sam actually laughed out loud on that. Maybe she was right. Maybe she was still just Charlie.


	8. It’s A Song To Say Goodbye

It wasn’t until a few days later that they all met up again, this time in Sherlock’s flat, while Mrs. Hudson provided them with freshly baked biscuits and hot tea. They were all still a bit tires but apart from that, fine. Molly announced that she would go with the Doctor to explore the Universe and Jack and Gabriel had come to an arrangement to see each other every now and then.

»What I still don’t quite understand, «, Jack said, looking at John and Rose. »is how you managed to get here. I mean, didn’t you say that it’s dangerous to cross the Void? «

»It is. «, John answered in-between two biscuits. »But we’ve also got better technology and Torchwood is a better place with Rose in charge. «

»We started studying the void, you know? See if we could use it and we found out that it’s not at all constant but rather shifting. Imagine it like the sea. There’s low tides and high tides and we began to calculate when the line would be thinnest. «, Rose explained. She pulled a phone – like device out of her pocket, before continuing, »We’ve got exactly two days, three hours, five minutes and two seconds until we have to go back. And it’s not like we just fly with the TARDIS through the void. My team and I built a bridge of sorts, it’s hard to explain and we don’t really use very often because there are still risks we cannot predict but it’s a start. Someday, I’d like to show my daughter where I was born. Take her to all the places in this Universe. «

»I bet little Donna is going to be a fighter, just like her mother. «, Jack said with a fond smile.

»Well, she is _something_. «

The memory of Donna made Rose grin. She was only three but already a trouble maker. She was perfect. Happily, John lay an arm around his wife’s shoulders and enjoyed the warmth of her body against his. Despite the anger, he had felt in the beginning, he was now very grateful that the Doctor had left him behind with Rose. Speaking of the Doctor, the Timelord with the bowtie looked quite pleased as well. He had told him about Amy and Rory but the prospect of a new companion seemed to work wonders. Molly, too was exited. She had always dreamed about seeing other planets, meeting aliens and now she would. Her eyes fell on Sherlock who sat very closely to John and she didn’t even feel jealous like she used to. She could see how the two men needed each other and she really hoped that they would work it out. They certainly deserved it.

»What about you? «, Rose asked the Winchesters. Cas and Dean had squeezed themselves on the sofa, obviously craving the contact to one another, while Sam sat on a chair.

»Well we need to get back, somehow. «, the younger brother answered.

»We could give you a lift, couldn’t we, Doctor? «, Molly offered.

»Of course! «, the Doctor answered enthusiastic.

»Sure, but what about the car? «, Dean asked skeptically.

»Oh, didn’t I mention? I’ve got a garage. «

And with that it was settled. Dean wouldn’t say it but he actually enjoyed the company of these people and he didn’t mind if they stuck around for a bit longer. With the Doctor and his TARDIS, they could be home any time they wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Find me on Tumblr =)](https://dreamworldvictim.tumblr.com/)


End file.
